Subject
Review of THE MAGICIAN'S DOUBTS in Slavic Review (fwd)
Date
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From: Galya Diment <galya@u.washington.edu>
Priscilla Meyer reviews Michael Wood's book in the latest issue of Slavic
Review. Some people -- like myself, since I happen to like Wood's book
precisely for what it is and what it is not -- may be puzzled by
Priscilla's harsh assessment. (The first line of the review reads:
"It is difficult to understand what this book is about, and just
whose doubts are in question.") Where I see a lucid, engagingly personal,
superbly-written, and very astute appreciation of Nabokov's gift and
magical artistry, she finds only "a chatty style full of parenthetical
self-interruptions... that underscore a lack of control." I would also
strongly argue with the review's statement that "The Nabokov scholar
will learn little" from Wood's book. A talented and eloquent reader of a
talented and eloquent author always has, it seems to me, a lot to offer to
specialists and non-specialists alike.
Galya Diment
Priscilla Meyer reviews Michael Wood's book in the latest issue of Slavic
Review. Some people -- like myself, since I happen to like Wood's book
precisely for what it is and what it is not -- may be puzzled by
Priscilla's harsh assessment. (The first line of the review reads:
"It is difficult to understand what this book is about, and just
whose doubts are in question.") Where I see a lucid, engagingly personal,
superbly-written, and very astute appreciation of Nabokov's gift and
magical artistry, she finds only "a chatty style full of parenthetical
self-interruptions... that underscore a lack of control." I would also
strongly argue with the review's statement that "The Nabokov scholar
will learn little" from Wood's book. A talented and eloquent reader of a
talented and eloquent author always has, it seems to me, a lot to offer to
specialists and non-specialists alike.
Galya Diment